of medicare. you point out we're putting some back fl we'll give them a better prescription program. that's one dollar for every 15 you've cut. they're smart enough to know that's not a good trade. >> reporter: president obama comes back and says i didn't cut the $716 billion. i just cut rates. is this a good or bad thing? >> this one has kicked around for a while. there are two things about it worth noting. one, there is a $716 billion reduction in payments to providers under medicare, to providers, not in nary to beneficial -- theory to beneficiaries. if you're cutting providers, where are you going to cut it? they'll stop providing benefits. that was the same number in paul ryan's budget. he also endorsed the same cuts in his budget. they're not cuts then but they're cuts now. so, yes, there is a $716 billion reduction in payments to medicare providers but democrats and republicans have to agree on it. >> mitt romney went on to say that a lot of providers had decided to stop taking medicare. ha